Good news! This is how you can present your scouts in the local media

The tradition started sometime in April 2020.

Whenever a Greater Tampa Bay Area Council Boy Scout made the headlines, Brandon Kathman would take the news clip and hang it on the wall of his office.

It was an opportunity for Kathman, a district manager with a degree in journalism, and the volunteers on the city council’s marketing committee to celebrate each of these positive stories about local Scouting.

In the months that followed, the number of clippings grew. And grew. At the last count, there are nearly 90 examples of Boy Scouts making headlines in the Tampa area.

“That ritual became the messy, overlapping wallpaper that we see today,” says Kathman. “We ran out of space at first. Then we finally ran out of tips. “

You don’t have to be a community professional with a degree in journalism to get your Boy Scouts featured in the local newspaper, on TV, or on digital media. You just need the right pitch.

Why take the time? Because it’s the ultimate win-win-win situation.

1. Your scouts Receive recognition for their hard work (and an excerpt that could be attached to a résumé or college application).
2. People in your community Receive an important reminder that Boy Scouts are still doing amazing things.
3. Local journalists Get a ready-made feel-good story that your audience will love.

What stories do journalists want?

With a background in journalism and professional scouting, Kathman has seen both sides of this equation. He was both the person who came up with story ideas and the one who received those pitches.

He urges Scouters to recall that not every story is the front page of. must be worthy USA today. Even if your scout didn’t rescue three people from a burning house or hand-build an entire animal shelter, their story is still worthy.

Many of the stories Kathman has presented to the local media are “not everything the average scouter would consider unusual,” he says. “The truth is, most local newspapers like to publish stories about everyday Eagle projects. They are simple, comfortable and local by nature. And the parents of the young people photographed reliably buy stacks of paper for relatives. “

Get help pitching your story

Nothing prevents you from visiting a local media company’s website and finding this “Contact Us” or “Tip” link to share news about your pack, force, mail, ship or crew.

But perhaps your best bet when introducing a story is to start with your local BSA expert.

Your community marketer may have connections with local journalists and a standard way of presenting stories.

But they can’t tell stories they don’t know. Council professionals are likely not at your meetings or service projects to see all of the great things your Boy Scouts are doing.

“The only problem I have encountered is that many Boy Scouts do not think about telling their local district or council of beneficial stories,” says Kathman. “I know we’ve seen tremendous dividends here for our efforts with the media. Some of the local publishers have even started to make financial contributions to the scouting. “

Kathman is quick to point out that he’s not doing this alone. He commends Joe and Lenora Guidry, Katie Sheffield and David Carlson on his council’s marketing committee.

The Shovel: 10 Tips to Remember

1. Keep it newsworthy. A news agency wants content that is current, interesting, and relevant – or, to put it simply, something newsworthy. Before reaching out to the media, ask yourself if the story is current and relevant to the audience.
2. Look at the focus. Yes, your backpacking trip changed your life and the campout was unforgettable. But community service stories might be more appealing to an editor. For example, if your Boy Scouts go on a food drive, the community implications are immediately apparent to an outsider. (PS While your local paper may not be interested in your Boy Scout excursion, Boy Scout Life Magazine absolutely. Submit your idea using this form.)
3. Start small. Do your first round of pitches for community publications – often those hyper-local news sites or weeklies. These outlets employ small staff, maybe only two or three people, and they are always on the lookout for content. In some cases, they post the story you send them as written.
4. Avoid technical jargon. If you write something like, “Before she served as the SPL, Abigail Smith attended NYLT,” the editor may stop reading. Remember, many of these journalists have no background in scouting. Use clear language and only use scouting terms as you explain them. Ask yourself questions like: Do I have to include all of the requirements for the Eagle Scout Award in this pitch about a great Eagle project?
5. Keep it short. Today’s journalists are few and far between. Try to limit your write-ups or press releases to around 400 words. This is the length of “Goldilocks” – short enough to be shortened to a short message, but long enough to be featured on the front page as a feature story.
6. Do the work for them. Give editors everything they need to create a complete story. That can mean collecting quotes, sharing photos, and compiling statistics. While some larger outlets may have the resources to send someone to your event, the more likely they will want to complete the coverage by phone or email.
7. Avoid staged photos. Which photo better conveys the message that your Boy Scouts have completed a river cleanup: an action shot of Boy Scouts in ankle-deep water fishing garbage or a posed photo of Boy Scouts smiling at the camera? The best photos for news broadcasts are action shots because they appear authentic to the reader.
8. Think about videos. Today, TV news channels aren’t the only players in the game of video journalism. Print journalists often add video elements to their stories online. If you can provide high quality video, your story will be pushed to the top of the stack – even if it’s just being used as a “b-roll” or supporting footage to provide context for the main story. Record the video in HD and turn your phone sideways to record horizontally.
9. Proofread. Find someone you trust to read your pitch before you hit submit. You can even send the press release to your council to review – maybe the marketing department or the committee if your council has one.
10. Share your success. If your Boy Scouts’ story is printed, published, or aired, tell everyone the good news. Find the online version of the story and make sure everyone in your unit shares this link with everyone they know. Publications (including Bryan on Scouting!) Carefully watch their numbers. When a news agency sees scouting stories tend to collect large numbers, they’ll be looking for more of them.

Submit your story ideas

Local media aren’t the only ones interested in what your Boy Scouts are doing. Here are four ways to share your story with the BSA editorial team.

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